|
renewable · sustainable · community-based
|
Pacific Biodiesel Newsletter
|
|
Special "Earth Day" Edition - April 2017
|
|
In This Issue
- Pacific Biodiesel Marks Sustainability Milestones on Earth Day
- Congratulations, Maui Tropical Plantation and The Mill House
- Celebrating National Biodiesel Day
Editor: Joy Galatro, Marketing Director
Staff Writer & Layout: Beth Mathias, Marketing Associate
For more information
about Pacific Biodiesel visit
Our Mission:
To promote a clean, sustainable energy future through the community-based production of renewable fuels.
On Earth Day 2016, the Pacific Biodiesel plant on the Big Island became
the first biodiesel facility in the United States to earn certification by the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance for showcasing sustainable biodiesel production and distribution practices.
LIKE us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter!
|
|
Editor's Note: This special "Earth Day 2017" edition of Pacific Biodiesel's newsletter is being published for our employees, customers and community supporters.
Blooms of Sustainability
President Bob King discusses Maui sunflower biofuel crop, a demonstration of our company's community-based agriculture and energy model
I have been quite overwhelmed by the excitement our Maui community has shared with us about this first sunflower crop. Almost daily, we heard from many people that these beautiful flowers brought smiles, joy, and a much-needed lift to their day. Many thanks to the thousands of Maui residents and visitors who have treated our project with respect and shown appreciation as well as support.
Although we've never seen anything like the
buzz created
by this field of bright yellow blooms, sunflowers as a biofuel crop is nothing new to our company. We previously partnered with the U.S. military as part of the Hawaii Military Biofuels Crop Program that demonstrated the planting, growing and processing of biodiesel feedstocks on Oahu and Hawaii Island. This research began in 2010.
The Maui
sunflowers are the culmination of so many years we've spent working toward a sustainable biodiesel agriculture model, and we still have far to go! The effort has grown to include agriculture for food
, fuel
and other
 |
|
|
Pacific Biodiesel yesterday delivered its combine harvester to the Maui biofuel crop site to prepare for the first sunflower harvest, expected to begin by late May. The combine, purchased from a family farm in Northern California, will be used to mechanically harvest the sunflowers and other oil and grain crops, and it will operate on 100% biodiesel. Pictured above, Pacific Biodiesel President Bob King stands in the blooming sunflower biofuel crop and atop the combine before it was driven to the crop site.
|
products to make our state more self-sufficient.
It's serendipitous that our first Maui
sunflower crop would bloom in April. This Earth Day (April 22) was the one year anniversary of our company becoming the world's first biodiesel producer certified by the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance. To celebrate these milestones of sustainability, we hosted a community event in our sunflower field last weekend, on Earth Day. Read all about it in this issue.
I am so proud of all of us at Pacific Biodiesel. We are a local company, creating local jobs and making the nation's highest quality biodiesel, which is sold entirely in Hawaii, making a positive impact on our local economy while helping to fight climate change. Mahalo for your support!
~ Bob King, President & Founder, Pacific Biodiesel
|
Company Marks Sustainability Milestones on Earth Day
Community event hosted in Maui sunflower biofuel crop
This past Saturday, April 22 - known around the world as Earth Day -
Pacific Biodiesel celebrated its first Maui sunflower blooms with a free community event held at its biofuel crop site.
Following weeks of community interest as the sunflowers began blooming and generating attention island-wide and throughout social media, the Earth Day event provided public access to the sunflower farm from 10AM to 1P
M. Guests were invited to:
|
|
|
Pacific Biodiesel team members hosted the community during the company's April 22 Earth Day celebration at the central Maui sunflower field.
|
- Receive a sunflower bloom freshly cut from the field
- Plant a seed for the next crop
- Take photos in the sunflower field and enter the Earth Day 2017 sunflower photo contest
- Enjoy special live performances by musician friends of Pacific Biodiesel
Prior to the public event, Pacific Biodiesel held a special event preview for employees and their families, members and B100 customers.
Bob and Kelly King, founders of Pacific Biodiesel
, welcomed these guests and provided an overview of the biofuel crop project.
More than 300 people attended the event.
Guests were transported to the farm site on
shuttles fueled with the company's locally made biodiesel.
The sunflower field sits on 14 acres of an initial 115-acre crop project site that will help expand diversified agriculture by growing combine-harvested oil crops on land previously used for sugar cane production. Currently this is the largest biofuel crop project in the state of Hawaii and the only biofuel farming operation in the state running on 100% renewable fuel, demonstrating the company's sustainable, community-based model of agriculture and renewable energy.
Vice President Kelly King said, "As eye-catching symbols of sustainability,
these beautiful blooms showcase Pacific Biodiesel's community-based model of agriculture, clean energy and food - and they give us hope for our state's green economy future!"
The event was held on Earth Day to commemorate the company's one year anniversary of being named the world's first biodiesel producer certified by the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance for sustainable production and distribution practices. "Eco Champion" passes were sold at the event for $20 that included various Earth Day items; net proceeds benefited the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance to support local, sustainable biodiesel production in communities across the nation.
|
|
|
Kimokeo Kapahulehua conducted the blessing at the February 24 ceremony at the biofuel crop project site. Attendees included Tom Pawlish, Micah Nelson, U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard, Kelly King, U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono, State Representative Kaniela Ing and Bob King.
|
Earlier this year, on February 24th, a Hawaiian
blessing was held at the crop site as the first seeds were planted, marking the beginning of the company's scaled-up farming demonstration to grow biofuel crops including sunflowers in Maui's central valley.
At the blessing event, Bob and Kelly King were joined by invited guests, including project stakeholders, local farmers, legislators and other community supporters for the Hawaiian blessing led by Kimokeo Kapahulehua. In attendance were U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono and U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard who each provided remarks in support of this largest biofuel crop project in the state.
|
|
|
Pacific Biodiesel staff help out on Earth Day. From left to right: Accounts Payable Clerk Kelly Sol takes a family's photo; Crushing Mill Manager Chris Long explains the company's zero waste agricultural model and biodiesel process; CDL Driver and Service Technician William Chun helps a young visitor plant a sunflower seed.
|
|
MAHALO to everyone who supported our Earth Day event:
- Event sponsors and friends of Pacific Biodiesel, Maui Tropical Plantation, who provided their parking lot for guest parking and the staging area for our check-in tent and biodiesel shuttles. They also provided parking attendants to keep the flow of traffic running smoothly
- Incredible Maui musicians who donated their time and talent to perform live at the event, including Gail Swanson, Cheryl Rae Mullen, Maná Brasil with Bita Fonseca and Klaudia Raab, Tom Conway, Pat Simmons Jr., Marty Dread and Soul Kitchen Maui.
-
all the sound equipment for a fantastic show.
-
Tropic Water for donating water coolers at the event.
-
Village Audio for donating the stage for the event.
- Pacific Biodiesel employees and volunteers who served as event staff.
|
|
|
|
More photos from Pacific Biodiesel's 2017 Earth Day Celebration.
|
|
In the weeks leading up to the company's Earth Day event, this patch of bright yellow sunflower blooms in Maui's central valley created extensive buzz in social media and the local press. "Our sunflowers have gone viral! Hundreds of photographs of these sunflower blooms began appearing on Facebook and Instagram a few weeks ago. People are beaming over this new Maui attraction," said Marketing Director Joy Galatro. "We've received calls from local schools requesting educational tours, from individuals wanting to get married in the field, even from a concierge at a high-end destination resort requesting tours of our farm for their guests planning a vacation to Maui who had seen the sunflowers on social media."
|
|
|
Darryll Scott, University of Hawaii Maui College
student and March for Science organizer, handed out sunflowers from Pacific Biodiesel Vice President Kelly King to Earth Day marchers.
|
One of the biggest benefits from these blooms, Galatro explains, is the opportunity to connect in a positive, memorable way with a broader audience in the community to share information about our company, its mission and our locally made renewable fuel. "These sunflowers have created incredible goodwill. More people now better understand who we are and what we do," Galatro said. "This has also boosted employee morale. We're all so excited and proud to interact with people in the community who are so happy about what we're doing with the sunflower crop."
Here's a sampling of the positive publicity generated by our Maui sunflower crop between the blessing in February and the Earth Day event last weekend:
- In the last month as the sunflowers began blooming, Pacific Biodiesel's Facebook Page saw a 690% increase in page likes, a 710% increase in page views, an overall 1,111% increase in reach, and a 1,280% increase in visitor engagement.
- One video of the sunflower field, posted by Maui social media expert and blogger, Liza Pierce, generated 4.5 million+ views, 104,000 shares and 14,000+ comments.
- Maui News: http://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2017/02/something-in-the-wind/
- Maui Now: http://mauinow.com/2017/02/24/pacific-biodiesel-begins-farming-states-largest-biofuel-crop-project/
- Maui Now: http://mauinow.com/2017/04/11/sunflowers-in-bloom-earth-day-tours-filling-up-fast/
|
In the Spotlight
Pacific Biodiesel Around Town
Environmental, Utility and Energy Conference (EUEC) - February 8-10
Pacific Biodiesel President Bob King
 teamed up with Cecily A. Barnes, Hawaii
Electric Company's
Vice President, Energy Delivery, in San Diego for a presentation at the 2017 Environmental, Utility and Energy Conference. The successful partnership between the two companies was outlined during their session titled,"Utility Scale Biodiesel Power Generation."
|
|
|
Pacific Biodiesel President Bob KIng addresses the audience at EUEC 2017.
|
Hawaii Buildings, Facilities and Property Management Expo - March 8-9
The Pacific Biodiesel Logistics
|
|
|
Pacific Biodiesel Account Executive Rob Robinson and Service Technician Tony Addison updated clients at the HBFPM Expo in Honolulu.
|
team
hosted a booth at the annual Hawaii Buildings, Facilities and Property Management Expo at the Neal Blasdell Center on Oahu. The industry event attracts general managers and property managers from across the state. Pacific Biodiesel was represented by both sales and operations personnel to showcase the new drain cleaning services offered by the company.
Maui Energy Conference - March 22-23
In addition to Pacific Biodiesel
|
|
|
Bob King outlined the current and potential markets for biodiesel use in Hawaii at the Maui Energy Conference in March.
|
sponsoring the 4th Annual Maui Energy Conference, President Bob King was a featured speaker at the conference participating in the session Technology: Innovations in Transportation. King presented information on Pacific Biodiesel's current statewide distribution of biodiesel and outlined the potential for biofuel crops to meet Hawaii's goal for renewable transportation. The Pacific Biodiesel team also hosted a display booth at the two-day exposition featuring our high quality renewable fuel, and current agricultural projects.
Hawaii Biofuels Forum - April 3
Pacific Biodiesel Director of Operations Jenna Long was a guest speaker at the Hawaii Biofuels Forum held at the State Capitol earlier this month. Long participated in a public, town-hall style discussion entitled Biofuels: At the Crossroads of Food, Fuel & the Future of Hawaii.
"There was a lot of interest in Pacific Biodiesel's food and fuel model,"said Jenna Long following the forum. "It was a great opportunity to represent our company as the only current biofuel producer in the state."
Maui Tour De Trash - April 12
|
|
|
Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset learned about Pacific Biodiesel's zero-waste production model during the Tour de Trash.
|
The Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset visited the Pacific Biodiesel Hobron Pump Station on Maui earlier this month as part of Maui County's Tour de Trash, hosted by Recycling Specialist Stacia Ash. Representatives of Pacific Biodiesel outlined the company's sustainability cycle including the recycling of used cooking oil, farming of sunflowers for feedstock, production of the nation's highest quality biodiesel on the Big Island and the statewide distribution of the locally produced, renewable fuel.
100% Clean Transportation Rally/Clean Energy Day - April 20
620 students plus teachers, legislators, legislative staff and members of the public attended the Blue Planet Foundation's Clean Energy Day at the Hawaii State Capitol Rotunda. Pacific Biodiesel provided support for the 100% Clean Transportation Rally highlighting the important role of biodiesel in clean transportation. The rally helped generate awareness and support for HB1580, the state's 100% clean transportation bill currently being considered in the legislature.
|
|
|
Brian Leighton, Maitenance and Operations Support for Pacific Biodiesel on Oahu, helped helped collect used cooking oil at the Kapolei High School recycling drive.
|
The Pacific Biodiesel Oahu team participated in the Going Green Recycling drive at Kapolei High School on Earth Day. In partnership with the City and County of Honolulu, the Going Green events give students the opportunity to learn about the importance of recycling, reusing and repurposing materials while earning money for the schools for collected recyclables. Pacific Biodiesel was on hand to collect 20 gallons of household used cooking oil during Kapolei High school's drive earlier this month. The school will receive a donation for the used cooking oil collected that day. Pacific Biodiesel has been a partner in the monthly Going Green and Aloha Aina recycling drives for more than 5 years. The company makes a donation to each school for every gallon of household cooking oil collected.
|
Congratulations, Maui Tropical Plantation & The Mill House
Company Sponsors Award Honoring Excellence in Sustainability
Pacific Biodiesel once again partnered with Maui EKO Systems to sponsor the "Excellence in Sustainability" award at the 2017 'Aipono Awards. This year's recipient was Maui Tropical Plantation & The Mill House, recognized for their full scope of sustainability practices that include providing only compostable eco products to customers, using coffee grounds and coffee chaff from roasted beans as a soil amendment and on site farming operations for a farm to table menu.
"We cosponsor this Excellence in Sustainability award because we feel it's important for the food and beverage industry and the tourism industry to focus on their footprint on this island," said Bob King. "The Maui Tropical Plantation provides an interesting classroom that
shows that everything is working and that there is a reason for everything they are doing. They are educating guests by
showcasing sustainability methods and practices that set the example for others to follow."
The Pacific Biodiesel team carefully reviews submissions by hotels, resorts and other food service operations that outline their sustainability efforts according to a list of criteria before making its recommendation to Maui No Ka Oi Magazine.
|
|
|
Cosponsor of the 2017 Aipono Excellence in Sustainability Award, Pacific Biodiesel presented the award to Maui Tropical Plantation/The Mill House. From left to right: Pacific Biodiesel Vice President Kelly King; from Maui Tropical Plantation, General Manager Francesco Greco and Owner Mike Atherton; from The Mill House, Executive Chef Jeff Scheer and Food and Beverage Director Amanda Hall; Pacific Biodiesel President Bob King. (
Mieko Horikoshi photo)
|
"To be recognized in such a way is truly an honor," said Maui Tropical Plantation General Manager Francesco Greco, who attended the awards ceremony along with Owner Mike Atherton, and The Mill House Executive Chef Jeff Scheer.
According to Amanda Hall, Director of Food and Beverage for The Mill House, "Making choices for sustainability does become part of the routine. Part of the integrity for us is choosing to do the right thing although it might be the hard thing or the more costly thing."
The Aipono Awards, an annual culinary celebration hosted by Maui No Ka Oi Magazine as a benefit for the Maui Culinary Arts Program at UH Maui College, was held this year at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa in Kaanapali.
Click here to watch the video showcasing the Excellence in Sustainability winners. introduced by Bob King.
|
A Trio of Honors
Company recognized for its leadership and employee satisfaction
In the first quarter of 2017, Pacific Biodiesel has earned recognition in three high-profile community awards:
* Pacific Biodiesel Named "Best Places to Work" for Sixth Consecutive Year
Employees of Pacific Biodiesel participated in an optional survey rating their workplace in a variety of areas including wages, employee engagement, communications, and management style. Based on that information Hawaii Business Magazine once again selected Pacific Biodiesel as one of the "Best Places to Work in Hawaii." Representing all their coworkers, an employee representative from each island was selected to attend the March awards banquet on Oahu along with Director of Operations, Jenna Long. Pacific Biodiesel has achieved this recognition each year that employees have participated making 2017 the sixth consecutive year the company has received this honor.
|
|
|
Representing Pacific Biodiesel at the 2017 Best Places to Work Awards Banquet were from left to right: Maui Fleet Manager, Jason Imamaura; Director of Operations Jenna Long; Oahu Customer Service Representative Brigitte Koike; Big Island Facilities Manager Alfred Leung.
|
* Kelly KIng Honored
at PBN's "Women Who Mean
|
|
|
Bob and Kelly King
|
Business"
Vice President Kelly King was honoredby Pacific Business News as one of the 2017 Women Who Mean Business in the Industry Leader category. In addition to her position with Pacific Biodiesel, King represents South Maui as one of nine council members on the Maui County Council. King was recognized not only for leadership at the company but in the renewable fuel industry as well as her long history of community service. The March awards event was held in Honolulu earlier this month.
* Jenna Long Named to the 2017 Class of "40 Under 40"
Pacific Business News named Pacific Biodiesel Director of Operations Jenna Long to the 2017 Class of "40 Under 40." The publication noted that the selection process was a difficult one with over 200 nominations. According to PBN, the 40 members of the 2017 class include "a diverse group of exceptional young businessmen and businesswomen. " Long and the other 39 honorees from across the state will be recognized at a June 9 presentation dinner at the Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina.
|
Celebrating National Biodiesel Day
Employees statewide express pride in biodiesel
Teams from each Pacific Biodiesel island operation got together to show support for National Biodiesel Day, celebrated on March 18, the birthday of Rudolf Diesel who invented the diesel engine. Unveiled at the 1900 World's Fair, the diesel engine was originally designed to run on peanut oil. Diesel rightly predicted that the use of vegetable oils for engine fuels would someday be as important as petroleum and the coal-tar products of his time. To help educate the community about biodiesel, Pacific Biodiesel posted daily "Did You Know" graphics on its Facebook page the week leading up to National Biodiesel Day.
Clockwise from top: Members of the Oahu team; Maui staff outside the pump station; more Oahu team members; Big Island workers gather in front of the biodiesel plant.
|
|
|
Industry News & Trends
Legislative Updates
Maui County
Biodiesel Road Tax Budget Amendment
Earlier this month Pacific Biodiesel employees and customers testified at the Maui County Council against a budgeted increase for the county's biodiesel road tax. Maui biodiesel supporters still have time to contact Council members to express the importance of the road tax exemption for our locally produced renewable fuel.
State of Hawaii
100% Renewable Transportation
|
|
| |
|
|
Founded in 1995, Pacific Biodiesel is Hawaii's award-winning and internationally recognized producer of renewable fuels and the only commercial biofuel producer in the state. This Maui-based company established and operated the very first retail biodiesel pump in America and for the past two decades has built a solid reputation as a leading pioneer in the renewable energy industry. Throughout its history, Pacific Biodiesel's mission has remained constant: to promote a clean, sustainable energy future through the community-based production of renewable fuels. Today, with more than 80 employees statewide, Pacific Biodiesel excels in constructing and operating biodiesel processing plants, advancing process technology, and producing and marketing quality fuels. The company is also involved in many sustainable agriculture-related projects - including testing sunflowers as a potential year-round feedstock for producing biodiesel and exploring innovative ways to turn agriculture waste into useful products that can create new revenue streams for farmers, such as recycling waste papaya to grow algae for use in farm fertilizer and as feed for local aquaculture and livestock. With a nameplate production capacity of 5.5 million gallons annually, Pacific Biodiesel's Big Island plant utilizes state-of-the art distillation technology to produce the highest-quality biodiesel in the country.
|
For more information please visit our
website
at:
biodiesel.com
or contact Beth Mathias at:
|
|
| |
|
